Place of death for people with noncancer and cancer illness in South Australia: a population-based survey.
A large representative population survey of 9,500 households reports the association between place of death, diagnosis (cancer vs. noncancer), and use of palliative care services of terminally ill South Australians. Thirty-one percent (1,920) indicated that someone close to them had died of a terminal illness in the preceding five years; 18% had died of noncancer illness and 82% of cancer. Sixty-two percent of deceased individuals accessed palliative care services. More patients with cancer than noncancer had had palliative care (65% vs. 48%; p < 0.0001). Compared with cancer patients, those with noncancer illness had died in hospices less frequently (9% vs. 15%; p = 0.0015) and in nursing homes more frequently (15% vs. 5%; p < 0.0001). Similar proportions had died in hospital (60%) and at home (16%-20%). Palliative care service involvement did not reduce institutional deaths, but shifted them from hospital to hospice.
Currow
David C
DC
Department of Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia.
Burns
Catherine M
CM
Abernethy
Amy P
AP
D002423:Cause of Death; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006738:Hospices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000706:statistics & numerical data